Scott Bessent, the U.S. Treasury Secretary, called a Russian official a 'propagandist' and emphasized the negative impact of sanctions on the Russian economy.

In an interview with CBS News, Scott Bessent, the U.S. Treasury Secretary, challenged the claims of Kirill Dmitriev, the Kremlin's special envoy, who stated that Western sanctions do not affect the Russian economy. Bessent stated that Russia will immediately feel the negative effects of the sanctions, mentioning that India has completely halted purchases of Russian oil, and Chinese refineries have suspended operations.

He called Dmitriev a 'Russian propagandist', stating that he cannot provide an honest assessment of the impact of the sanctions. Bessent emphasized that the Russian economy is facing inflation of over 20% and that oil revenues have decreased by 20% compared to last year. The Trump administration recently imposed sanctions against Rosneft and Lukoil, demanding a ceasefire in the conflict in Ukraine.